Method and apparatus for producing a visible hydrogen flame

ABSTRACT

A consumer appliance comprises a source of humidified hydrogen; and, a combustion zone in fluid flow communication with a source of oxygen and the source of humidified hydrogen. A method of producing a visible hydrogen flame comprising providing water with hydrogen gas is also provided.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for combining waterwith hydrogen to enhance the visibility of a flame produced by thecombustion of hydrogen. In a preferred embodiment, the method andapparatus is used in an apparatus where the flame is intended to bevisible, such as in a cooking appliance or in a fireplace, or in anapparatus wherein the flame is exposed, so as to enable a user toperceive the flame and avoid touching the flame, such as a cuttingtorch.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fossil fuels or other forms of organic carbon such as wood and charcoalcreate visible flames in addition to heat when they are combusted. Thecombustion of fossil fuels is used in many applications which rely onthe visibility of the flame as a means of controlling the point ofcombustion, such as welding, cutting and brazing, while otherapplications use the flame at least in part as an aesthetic feature,such as fireplaces and fire pits wherein the aesthetic beauty of a flameis important.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The combustion of hydrogen typically results in a virtually invisibleflame, which may be dangerous for some applications, difficult tocontrol in other applications, and impossible to enjoy for its aestheticbeauty. In accordance with the instant invention, water, and otheroptional additives, are combined with hydrogen to produce a flame thathas enhanced visibility. Accordingly, water is added to hydrogen gas,prior to, or at the point of combustion. The water, preferably in theform of water vapour or atomized water, is used to humidify thehydrogen. The humidity results in a visible flame when the hydrogen iscombusted. The humidity is preferably produced by supplying fine waterdroplets to the combustible gas, upstream of or at the point ofcombustion.

The combustible gas may have a humidity of greater than 60%, preferablygreater than about 75%, more preferably greater than about 90% and mostpreferably greater than about 98%. Accordingly, it is preferred that thehydrogen gas is substantially saturated with water.

The gas may be humidified in various ways, such as providing a mist ofwater at the point of combustion, which may be produced by a transducer,humidifying the gas by passing the gas through a water bath, preferablyat elevated temperatures, and the like.

The instant invention has applications to make visible a hydrogen flameused to create a number of devices including but not limited to a fixedor portable torch used for cutting, welding or brazing materials, afixed or portable torch used for illumination and/or heat and/oraesthetic pleasure, a hydrogen fireplace used for heating, and/orcooking and/or aesthetic pleasure, and/or lighting, a hydrogen fire pit,or in a hydrogen flame cooking appliance, or a lighting device.

In one preferred embodiment, by periodically varying the flamecharacteristics in applications such as fireplaces, it is possible tosimulate natural flames produced by burning a hydrocarbon, by having theintensity, brightness, and color of the flame vary over time. Forexample, a controller may be used to vary the humidity and/or otheradditives provided with the hydrogen to a combustion zone in a random orpredetermined pattern.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, there is provided aconsumer appliance comprising:

-   -   (a) a source of humidified hydrogen; and,    -   (b) a combustion zone in fluid flow communication with a source        of oxygen and the source of humidified hydrogen.

In one embodiment, the source of humidified hydrogen comprises a reactorwherein water is combined with hydrogen.

In another embodiment, the source of humidified hydrogen comprises anatomizer.

In another embodiment, the source of humidified hydrogen furthercomprises a reactor wherein atomized water is combined with hydrogen.

In another embodiment, the humidified hydrogen has a humidity of greaterthan 60%.

In another embodiment, the humidified hydrogen has a humidity of greaterthan 75%.

In another embodiment, the humidified hydrogen has a humidity of greaterthan 90%.

In another embodiment, the humidified hydrogen has a humidity of greaterthan 98%.

In another embodiment, the consumer appliance further comprises anadjustment member that varies the amount of humidity in the hydrogen.

In another embodiment, the adjustment member varies the contact time ofthe hydrogen and a source of water.

In another embodiment, the consumer appliance further comprises atransducer that produces an amount of atomized water and the adjustmentmember varies at least one of the amount of water that is produced andthe size of atomized droplets that are produced.

In another embodiment, the appliance is a fixed cutting torch, aportable cutting torch, a fixed welding torch, a portable welding torch,a fixed brazing apparatus, a portable brazing apparatus, a fixed torchused for illumination, a portable torch used for illumination, a fixedtorch used for heat, a portable torch used for heat, a fireplace, a firepit, a cooking appliance, a heater, a candle or a candelabra.

In another embodiment, the appliance is a torch, a fireplace, a firepit, a cooking appliance, a heater, a candle or candelabra.

In accordance with another embodiment of this invention, there isprovided a method of producing a visible hydrogen flame comprising:

-   -   (a) combining water and hydrogen; and    -   (b) combusting the hydrogen.

In one embodiment, step (a) comprises exposing hydrogen to water vapour.

In another embodiment, step (a) comprises exposing hydrogen to atomizedwater.

In another embodiment, the hydrogen has a humidity of greater than 60%prior to being combusted.

In another embodiment, the hydrogen has a humidity of greater than 75%prior to being combusted.

In another embodiment, the hydrogen has a humidity of greater than 90%prior to being combusted.

In another embodiment, the hydrogen has a humidity of greater than 98%prior to being combusted.

In another embodiment, the hydrogen is combusted in an apparatus and themethod further comprises adjusting the amount of humidity in thehydrogen during the operation of the apparatus.

In another embodiment, the humidity is adjusted to simulate a flameproduced by burning a hydrocarbon fuel.

In another embodiment, the humidity is adjusted by a user of theapparatus.

In another embodiment, the humidity is adjusted by varying at least oneof the contact time of the water and the hydrogen, the amount of waterto which the hydrogen is exposed and the size of water droplets to whichthe hydrogen is exposed.

In another embodiment, the method is used in a fixed cutting torch, aportable cutting torch, a fixed welding torch, a portable welding torch,a fixed brazing apparatus, a portable brazing apparatus, a fixed torchused for illumination, a portable torch used for illumination, a fixedtorch used for heat, a portable torch used for heat, a fireplace, a firepit, a cooking appliance, a heater, a candle or a candelabra.

In another embodiment, the method is used in a torch, a fireplace, afire pit, a cooking appliance, a heater, a candle or candelabra.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show moreclearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made byway of example to the accompanying drawings, of the preferredembodiments of the present invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is schematic drawing of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is schematic drawing of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is schematic drawing of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is schematic drawing of a fourth embodiment of the invention;and,

FIG. 5 is schematic drawing of a fifth embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 exemplifies one preferred embodiment of the instant inventionwherein hydrogen gas is humidified by contacting the gas stream withatomized water. As shown therein, a vessel 1 (a source of hydrogen)contains hydrogen in the form or a pressurized gas, a refrigeratedand/or pressurized liquid, as a metal hydride, or adsorbed into amechanical structure such as carbon nano-tubes or any other means ofhydrogen storage currently known in the art or which may be invented.Alternately, the source of hydrogen may be an electrolyzer. Theelectrolyzer may produce a stream of oxygen and hydrogen or a stream ofoxygen and a stream of hydrogen.

Water 7 is added into chamber 6 (a reactor), such as by means of fillport 8, which may be selectively covered or closed by closure means 9.When the device is to be used, a valve 2 may either be actuated by amechanical means 3, such as a rotatable handle as is known in the art,or by means of a solenoid, not shown. When the valve 2 is opened,hydrogen gas 26 passes through tube 4, through valve 2, through tube 5and into chamber 6 and out through tube 10 and into the nozzle tip 11.The hydrogen gas 26 may be ignited by any means known in the combustionarts, such as a hot wire 15 or a high voltage electrode 13 producing aspark 14 or by means of an externally applied ignition source such as amatch or a flint striker or a combination thereof. At this point, flame12 produced by the combustion of the hydrogen 26 is essentiallyinvisible or very difficult to see for the human observer.

When the switch 16 is activated, either manually or by an electroniccontrol means, power from the electrical power source 17 is permitted toflow to the high frequency power supply 18, through wires 19, 20 and 21.The power source may be a power supply driven from line voltage orelectricity derived from a battery, fuel cell, solar cell, generator,thermopile or any other voltage or current source known in the art. Thehigh frequency power supply provides electrical energy through wires 22and 23 to a transducer 24, which creates a fine atomized water dropletmist 25 by the mechanical agitation of the water 7.

When the hydrogen gas passes 26 through the chamber 6 once transducer 24is actuated, it is mixed with the fine atomized water droplet mist 25,which produces a combustible fluid or gas, which creates a visible flamewhen combusted.

The characteristics of the water droplets, such as mean particle size,particle size distribution, and density are all factors which can beused to modify flame intensity and/or color and/or temperature and/orthermal energy (btu/second). Accordingly, the intensity and/or colorand/or temperature and/or thermal energy (btu/second) of the flame maybe controlled by varying the amount of water, size of water droplets,etc. provided to the gas stream. For example, one or more of the contacttime between the hydrogen gas 26 and the water droplet mist 25, thedensity of the water droplet mist, the average size of the waterdroplets, the droplet size distribution of the water droplet mist 25 maybe varied, such as by varying the frequency or voltage or currentavailable to the transducer 24 creating the mist 25.

Alternately, or in addition, a mechanical dam 27 can optionally be movedin an axis such as 28 within the chamber 6 to modify the path length ofthe hydrogen gas 26 within the water droplet mist 25 contained withinchamber 6 thereby modifying the contact time between the hydrogen gas 26and the water droplet mist 25 thereby modifying the visible flameintensity and/or color and/or temperature and/or thermal energy(btu/second) available.

Alternately, or in addition, it is understood that in this embodimentand all other embodiments described herein, a series of fixed dams andthe use of valves to control the flow of the hydrogen gas through thewater droplet mist 25 within the chamber 26 may also optionally beemployed.

Alternately, or in addition, it is also understood that in this and allother embodiments described herein, mechanical means to circulate thewater droplet mist 25 may also be used to modify the contact time withthe hydrogen gas 26.

Alternately, or in addition, it is also understood that in thisembodiment and all other embodiments described herein, the tube 5 mayform a tangential inlet with the changer 6 thereby creating a cyclonicflow within the chamber 6 thereby allowing the contact between thehydrogen gas 26 and the water droplet mist 25 to be further controlled.

Alternately, or in addition, it this embodiment and all otherembodiments disclosed herein, it is also possible to add to the water 7other fluids including combustible fluids or combinations of such fluidsincluding but not limited to alcohol, methylated spirits, turpentine,gasoline, diesel fuel, paraffin oil, in place of the water 7 to controlintensity and/or color and/or temperature and/or thermal energy(btu/second) available in the flame.

FIG. 2 exemplifies another preferred embodiment for providing atomizedwater to the combustible gas wherein a water pump and impact member areused. In accordance with this embodiment, when the switch 29 isactivated, either manually or by an electronic control means, power fromthe electrical power source 17 is permitted to flow to the pump 30through wires 31, 32, and 33. The pump 30 may optionally incorporate oremploy an external electronic or electromechanical control to controlits flow rate on proportion to the flow rate of the hydrogen gas 26wherein the control means is not shown herein. The optional integral orexternal electronic or electromechanical control for the pump 30 mayalso control the frequency and duration of the pump pulses or the speedof the pump or the on/off duty cycle or the pump, or the pressure pulsecharacteristics of the pump, or a combination thereof to create thedesired water droplet characteristics and to allow the user to vary saidcharacteristics to modify the flame intensity and/or color and/ortemperature and/or thermal energy (btu/second). Pump 30 pumps the water7 through tubes 34 and 35 and to the atomizing nozzle 36, which createsa mist either by direct atomization of the fluid or by directing thewater spray against a mechanical target thereby creating the desiredatomization.

As in the embodiment of FIG. 1, an optional mechanical dam 27 may bemoved in an axis such as 28 within the chamber 6 to modify the pathlength of the hydrogen gas 26 within the water droplet mist 25 containedwithin chamber 6 thereby modifying the contact time between the hydrogengas 26 and the water droplet mist 25 thereby modifying the visible flameintensity and/or color and/or temperature and/or thermal energy(btu/second) available.

FIG. 3 exemplifies another preferred embodiment for providing a mist ofwater droplets to the combustible gas. When the switch 37 is activated,either manually or by an electronic control means, power from theelectrical power source 17 is permitted to flow to the motor 38 throughwires 39, 40, and 41. The rotation of motor 38 produces spray 42 fromthe disc 43 and the cone 44, which serve to pump the water 7.

The motor 38 may optionally incorporate or employ an external electronicor electromechanical control to control its rotation speed, accelerationand deceleration, or a combination thereof so as to control the meanparticle size and or particle size distribution and/or density of thewater droplet mist 25 produced. Optionally, the rotation speed,acceleration and deceleration, or a combination thereof may be set basedupon the flow rate of the hydrogen gas 26.

FIG. 4 exemplifies another preferred embodiment wherein steam iscombined with the combustible gas. When the switch 45 is activated,either manually or by an electronic control means, power from theelectrical power source 17 is permitted to flow to the heating element46 through wires 47, 48 and 49. This electrical resistance heating (orother heat source) causes steam 50 to be formed in the headspace of thechamber 6. The pressure and temperature and saturation level of thesteam 50 will modify the flame intensity and/or color and/or temperatureand/or thermal energy (btu/second) when the hydrogen gas 26 is mixedwith said steam 50 within chamber 6 and subsequently combusted to formflame 12. The energy input to the heating element 46 may optionally becontrolled based upon the pressure in the system or the hydrogen flowrate or a combination therefore to allow stable flame characteristics tobe established. It is also understood that by varying the contact timebetween the hydrogen gas 26 and the steam 50 the flame intensity and/orcolor and/or temperature and/or thermal energy (btu/second) can bemodified.

FIG. 5 exemplifies another preferred embodiment of the instant inventionwherein a sparger is utilized to humidify hydrogen gas. As showntherein, when the valve 2 is opened, hydrogen gas 26 passes through tube4, through valve 2, through tube 5 and into chamber 6 and through asparger 60, which creates fine gas droplets 61, which bubble through thewater 7 and emerge in the heated space 62 above the water 7 withinchamber 6. The gas then passes through tube 10 and into the nozzle tip11. The hydrogen gas 26 is ignited such as by means of a hot wire 15 ora high voltage electrode 13 producing a spark 14 or by means of anexternally applied ignition source such as a match or a flint striker ora combination thereof. At this point the flame 12 produced by thecombustion of the hydrogen 26 has a degree of visibility by a humanobserver (e.g. a user of a consumer appliance).

Optionally, if provided, water 7 may be able to be heated. Water 7 maybe heated by any means. Preferably, water 7 is heated by electricalresistance heating.

For example, as exemplified in FIG. 5, when the switch 63 is activated,either manually or by an electronic control means, power from theelectrical power source 17 is permitted to flow to the optional heatingelement 65 through wires 64, 66 and 67 which causes water 7 to be heatedand increases the amount of mist 25 which forms in the head space 25. Ifthe temperature of the water 7 is sufficiently elevated, the mist 25 inthe headspace 62 of the chamber 6 also includes steam. The droplet meansize, droplet size distribution and droplet density, and optionally thepressure and temperature and saturation level of the steam within thehead space 62 will modify the flame intensity and/or color and/ortemperature and/or thermal energy (btu/second) when the hydrogen gas 26is mixed with the droplets and/or steam in head space 62 of chamber 6and subsequently combusted to form flame 12.

The energy input to the heating element 65 may optionally be controlledbased upon the desired flame intensity and/or color and/or temperatureand/or thermal energy (btu/second). Optionally, an air pump or otherpressurized gas source 68 may pass gas through tube 69 into tube 10thereby diluting the hydrogen gas and increasing the gas flow volumethereby increasing the gas velocity within the nozzle 11 therebymodifying the hydrogen flame intensity and/or color and/or temperatureand/or thermal energy (btu/second).

The use of an air pump or other pressurized gas source may be used todilute the hydrogen gas anywhere within the gas circuit and to increasethe gas velocity within the nozzle 11 thereby modifying the hydrogenflame intensity and/or color and/or temperature and/or thermal energy(btu/second) in any of the preferred embodiments, alone or incombination with one or more of the other optional features describedherein.

Additional elements such as a water filled sparger chamber and/or asolenoid-activated valve may be incorporated into tube 10 to regulatethe gas flow and to prevent flashbacks in the system in any of thepreferred embodiments, alone or in combination with one or more of theother optional features described herein.

It is understood that, in any of the preferred embodiments, alone or incombination with one or more of the other optional features describedherein, any of the embodiments may be controlled based upon the flameintensity and/or color and/or temperature and/or thermal energy(btu/second) by means of a feedback loop control rather than a more openloop control.

It is also understood that, in any of the preferred embodiments, aloneor in combination with one or more of the other optional featuresdescribed herein, the vessel 1 which contains the hydrogen mayalternatively be substituted with one or more of any hydrogen generatorknown including fuel reformers, a generator employing electrolysis orthermal hydrogen generators driven by batteries, solar energy, nuclearenergy, or any other means or combination of means known in the art.Accordingly, the gas provided to reactor 6 may be hydrogen by itself ora mixture of hydrogen with other gasses, such as oxygen or air. Thehydrogen may be generated from power derived primary or secondary frombatteries, hydro, solar energy, wind energy nuclear energy, or any othermeans or combination of means and any hydrogen storage means known inthe art.

It is also understood that, in any of the preferred embodiments, aloneor in combination with one or more of the other optional featuresdescribed herein, the vessel 1 which contains the hydrogen mayalternatively be substituted with a vessel containing a mixture ofhydrogen and oxygen and/or other gases.

It is also understood that, in any of the preferred embodiments, aloneor in combination with one or more of the other optional featuresdescribed herein, the vessel 1 which contains the hydrogen mayalternatively be substituted with a device which employs electrolysis toproduce a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen and may be powered by the powergrid or by primary or secondary batteries, hydro, solar energy, windenergy, nuclear energy, or any other means known in the art.

1) A consumer appliance comprising: a) a source of humidified hydrogen;and, b) a combustion zone in fluid flow communication with a source ofoxygen and the source of humidified hydrogen. 2) The consumer applianceof claim 1 wherein the source of humidified hydrogen comprises a reactorwherein water is combined with hydrogen. 3) The consumer appliance ofclaim 1 wherein the source of humidified hydrogen comprises an atomizer.4) The consumer appliance of claim 2 wherein the source of humidifiedhydrogen further comprises a reactor wherein atomized water is combinedwith hydrogen. 5) The consumer appliance of claim 1 wherein thehumidified hydrogen has a humidity of greater than 60%. 6) The consumerappliance of claim 1 wherein the humidified hydrogen has a humidity ofgreater than 75%. 7) The consumer appliance of claim 1 wherein thehumidified hydrogen has a humidity of greater than 90%. 8) The consumerappliance of claim 1 wherein the humidified hydrogen has a humidity ofgreater than 98%. 9) The consumer appliance of claim 1 furthercomprising an adjustment member that varies the amount of humidity inthe hydrogen. 10) The consumer appliance of claim 9 wherein theadjustment member varies the contact time of the hydrogen and a sourceof water. 11) The consumer appliance of claim 9 further comprising atransducer that produces an amount of atomized water and the adjustmentmember varies at least one of the amount of water that is produced andthe size of atomized droplets that are produced. 12) The consumerappliance of claim 1 wherein the appliance is a fixed cutting torch, aportable cutting torch, a fixed welding torch, a portable welding torch,a fixed brazing apparatus, a portable brazing apparatus, a fixed torchused for illumination, a portable torch used for illumination, a fixedtorch used for heat, a portable torch used for heat, a fireplace, a firepit, a cooking appliance, a heater, a candle or a candelabra. 13) Theconsumer appliance of claim 1 wherein the appliance is a torch, afireplace, a fire pit, a cooking appliance, a heater, a candle or acandelabra. 14) A method of producing a visible hydrogen flamecomprising: a) combining water and hydrogen; and b) combusting thehydrogen. 15) The method of claim 14 wherein step (a) comprises exposinghydrogen to water vapour. 16) The method of claim 14 wherein step (a)comprises exposing hydrogen to atomized water. 17) The method of claim14 wherein the hydrogen has a humidity of greater than 60% prior tobeing combusted. 18) The method of claim 14 wherein the hydrogen has ahumidity of greater than 75% prior to being combusted. 19) The method ofclaim 14 wherein the hydrogen has a humidity of greater than 90% priorto being combusted. 20) The method of claim 14 wherein the hydrogen hasa humidity of greater than 98% prior to being combusted. 21) The methodof claim 1 wherein the hydrogen is combusted in an apparatus and themethod further comprises adjusting the amount of humidity in thehydrogen during the operation of the apparatus. 22) The method of claim21 wherein the humidity is adjusted to simulate a flame produced byburning a hydrocarbon fuel. 23) The method of claim 21 wherein thehumidity is adjusted by a user of the apparatus. 24) The method of claim21 wherein the humidity is adjusted by varying at least one of thecontact time of the water and the hydrogen, the amount of water to whichthe hydrogen is exposed and the size of water droplets to which thehydrogen is exposed. 25) The method of claim 21 wherein the method isused in a fixed cutting torch, a portable cutting torch, a fixed weldingtorch, a portable welding torch, a fixed brazing apparatus, a portablebrazing apparatus, a fixed torch used for illumination, a portable torchused for illumination, a fixed torch used for heat, a portable torchused for heat, a fireplace, a fire pit, a cooking appliance, a heater, acandle or a candelabra. 26) The method of claim 21 wherein the method isused in a torch, a fireplace, a fire pit, a cooking appliance, a heater,a candle or a candelabra.